Press Correspondent:   Peter Thompson      
ETTA Senior Coach
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Injury Hit Pudsey Lose Out

Pudsey Table Tennis club already without the injured Phil Cawser suffered another injury blow when Joanna Roberts hurt her back going into their last round of matches at the National League in Hull at the weekend.
Pudsey started well in the opening match against Rotherham winning the opening four games. Pudsey number one David Smith ensured victory in dramatic fashion coming from a 9-2 deficit in the fifth leg to win 12-10. Chris Parker made it 6-0 with another five end win before Rotherham took the last two games.

 The big clash with Sunderland followed and Smith demolished Keith Weatherby 3-0. Chris Parker shook Sunderland by beating their number one Kevin Wilson in a thrilling match 14-12 in the fifth. The injured Roberts lost in a controversial fifth end to Anthony Barella. Chris Newsome had no answer to the pace of England Cadet Graham Barella as Sunderland levelled at 2-2. Smith again proved a 3-0 winner over Wilson before Sunderland pulled it back to 3-3. Parker in top form established a 4-3 lead with a four set win over Graham Barella. Anthony Barella led 2-0 over Newsome before a vociferous Newsome took the third end 11-3. With his vicious serves and punch blocks he took the fourth end. In the fifth end a fired up Newsome and the Pudsey team offering plenty of support from the bench a fifth end was won to give a 5-3 tremendous victory.

Sunday saw Pudsey having to bring in Lee orange to replace the injured Roberts. First game on against Barnt Green saw Chris Parker play the match of his life beating Darren Griffin. Smith soon made it 2-0 before Barnt Green pulled it back to 2-1. Newsome made it 3-1 with another fifth end victory. Pudsey led going into the finally match 4-3 but Orange was unable to get the better of defender Gordon Shaw so had to settle for a draw.

Pudsey cruised to 7-1 win over Drumchapel Glasgow but Sunderland had won both their last two matches. This left both teams on twenty four points but Pudsey had to settle for the runners up spot on set difference in their attempt to land a British league title.